Is anyone else tired of the stereotype of a teen mom?

Question

The teen mom stereotype is just as bad as any other stereotype. I get so tired of hearing people complain about teen moms. I'm almost 21 and I was a teen mom at one time. I've never been on welfare, I'm still with my children's father, my kids are taken care of. I just get fed up with hearing people constantly saying that teen mom's can't provide for a baby, their live's are ruined, and that the baby won't be taken care of. I want to give all these people that judge a little clue. Not every teen mom is a loser. My kids were concieved on birth control, I did NOT get pregnant on purpose, Their father and I are still together. He works as much as he has to to provide for our kids. Yea, it may have been harder for us at first, but we're making it. We both finished school, I'm going back to college next year. We're not married yet because we don't WANT to get married yet. We're in no rush because he, our kids, and I are HAPPY. There is plenty of love in our house.

Answer 1

I became a mom at 18, and I heard over and over about babies having babies. Just ignore it, we don't feel I fit into that category.

My husband and I were married when our first child was born, we never needed help from the state or anyone else. He joined the Army to make sure we had health insurance and enough to feed the kids on. I am now 27, and have been with him for 10 years, married for 9. We pay our taxes, own our own house and cars and our three sons are well dressed and taken care of. No matter how good of a job I do, the teen parent stereotype will never fade as we are not the *norm*. So instead of wearing the stereotype, embrace the fact that you are a good mother and wife who defied the odds and not a 'teen mother' in the stereotypical sense.

Answer 2

I totally agree with you. I got pregnant when i was 17, and had my son right after I turned 18. Everyone kept telling me to have an abortion and adoption because I was too young to take care of a baby. I had my son 2 1/2 years ago, and it has been the greatest thing. I got my GED while I was pregnant. Started college when my son was a month old, and have been going full time ever since. i get a 3.5 GPA, and im still with my sons father. We're getting married this august.

Answer 3

You are the exception to the rule. Most teen moms do not fare well, because the men in their lives are still "little boys" who just want to get laid. I know and knew a lot of teen moms and almost all of them were disaster stories. I firmly believe that every young girl should wait until she's "of age" before bringing a child into this world--if only for the reason of having more life experience as an adult.

Answer 4

Many people are old-fashioned and judgemental. I am married now but had my daughter when I was 21 and looked about 15. The women at one of my first jobs acted like I was such an anomaly ~ the colored girl with the baby and no husband. WHAT! Get a life. Don't worry about people. Everybody's got their something. Ignorance is a mother, boy, ain't it?! You owe an explanation about your wonderful life to NOBODY. Just keep loving and living and may God bless you all. Ignore the haters.

Answer 5

I totally agree with you. I had my first 2 kids before 20, and I'm a great Mom. We married, have responsibly planned our family size, and take good care of our kids. He makes decent money, and I even get to stay at home with them. Not all teens screw up their lives with a surprise baby. Some of us find our lives, and realize what we really want in life. I love how it all turned out, and 8 married years later, I'm still nuts about my husband.

Answer 6

I agree with you...I too was a teen mom (at 15), but I finished school, went to college, and worked as a paralegal for a state agency. Not all teen parents are horrible. I had a drug addicted mother turned alcoholic, I know bad parenting when I see it. I think most teens who are parents would be a lot better off if people would stop telling them they are ruining their life and stop feeling sorry for them. Let them run their own life and raise their children. I did it, so can they.

Answer 7

Congrats to you and your boyfriend.. you are a great woman and mother.. most girls don't want to be bothered with a child and give them up or don't take care of them right, but it does sound like you and he had your heads on right, and are doing the right things for you and your children..
I commend you for finishing school and going on to college, you are doing the right thing.. your children will be getting the right messages from you, that school is the right things to do,and one must have an education for make it in life.. I also commend your boyfriend for working so hard to support you all.. he sounds like a good guy.. a lot of guys would have hit the streets like their butts were on fire, you sound like you have a keeper there.. I wish you the best, and hope you can get all the education that you can get and make all your dreams come true. and if you do marry, it was meant to be.. God bless you, and Blessings will come to you also...

Answer 8

The fact is that the majority of teen moms AREN'T like you. I applaud you for hanging in there and doing what you have to do to live on and stay happy and educated, but the truth is that most teen mothers DON'T do what you do. And frankly, you're one of the few success stories that I have heard about. In my graduating class in high school, 5 girls were pregnant. I know for a fact that most of them have dumped their kids on their parents, are not going to college, are partying up every night, and are working in low paying jobs so they can get their "freak on."

Answer 9

You should be proud of yourself because the reason people say that is normally for the best. Because most teens don't stay together and most teens don't finish school after the mom has her baby. I don't judge other people just because they may be teen parents, I just think that it is better to wait because everybody don't have a success story to tell. Hope I didnt make you mad that is just my view of it.

Answer 10

The people who are criticizing you for having a child at a young age are actually criticizing the fact that you had sex at a young age. They're hypocrites ~ don't let it bother you. You made a choice, you tried to be responsible, and you accepted the consequences of your actions. You sound more mature than a lot of adults in the same situation.